http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20111117/NEWS02/711179923
Published November 17, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield parks and recreational fields now smoke-free
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — People who are smoking or chewing tobacco are no longer welcome at Springfield’s parks, walking trails and recreation areas.
A policy adopted by the town this week bans smoking and tobacco use from Riverside Park, The Commons, Freedom Park, Rotary Field and Hartness Park.
Added to the list was the popular walking and fitness trail, Toonerville Trail.
The ban had the full support of Springfield Recreation Director Andy Bladyka, and the policy came about at the suggestion of Corey Cenate of Springfield Tobacco Options and Prevention.
The parks and recreation department will now have to develop procedures to ensure the policy is effective.
The policy, which was adopted unanimously by the Springfield Select Board this week, said tobacco use while children and adults are nearby in outdoor activities was “detrimental to their health and can be offensive to those using such facilities.”
In addition, the policy noted that cigarettes and smokeless tobacco often end up on the ground, and “pose a risk to toddlers due to ingestion.”
“The town of Springfield believes it is important to create and sustain an environment that supports a tobacco-free policy and the prohibition of tobacco use at the town’s parks and recreational facilities serve to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the town and its guests,” said Town Manager Robert Forguites, reading from the policy.
“Policing it is the issue,” Forguites said.
The town deliberately chose a town policy rather than an ordinance to speed up the process.
According to the policy, any person violating the policy may be subject to immediate ejection from the park or recreational facility.
Signs alerting people to the no-smoking and tobacco-free zone will be provided by the Department of Health, and the town will also erect signs alerting people to the town policy.
Town schools ban the use of tobacco on school grounds, and Riverside Park is immediately adjacent to Riverside Middle School.
Select Board member Stephanie Gibson questioned whether the town should provide receptacles for people to put out their cigarettes before entering town parks and recreation fields, but people questioned whether that would end up being counter-productive.
If the policy is well-publicized and the parks and fields well-signed, people won’t come with their cigarettes or smokeless tobacco, some said.
Select Board member Michael Knoras said the town already has a littering ordinance that would help for people discarding cigarette butts. “It’s something to back you up,” he said.
Springfield joins several other southern Vermont towns in banning tobacco from recreation facilities.
Hartford, Rutland, Bennington and Weathersfield earlier this year adopted similar bans.
Woohoo for the do-gooders!
ReplyDeleteI'm as opposed to smoking as anyone else, but where do you draw the line, who decides and who pays to enforce it? So what's next, chew, spitting, vulgarity, flatulence, overly amorous affection, rude clothing text, immodest dress, ass scratching? After all, it's all about protecting children right?
Here's the point. Springfield and it's leadership is all about fluff. No one has the vision and commitment to put the town on a path to prosperity. So they cheerlead useless logos, banners, wreck centers, lame celebrations and new smoking rules. If half as much effort was put into zoning directed at curing social ills, then perhaps Springfield could retain and attract a population of young, working class professionals necessary for business growth and the prosperity that follows it.